THE ESSENTIAL
- A study shows that hyperbaric oxygen therapy improves the condition of people with PTSD who have not responded to psychotherapy or medication.
- Imaging showed better brain connectivity in these patients.
- They also had fewer symptoms such as nightmares, flashbacks, hypervigilance, irritability or even avoidance.
Hyperbaric medicine, also known as hyperbaric oxygen therapy, involves giving a patient oxygen at a pressure higher than that of the atmosphere. It is mainly used to treat decompression sickness related to diving.
However, a study from Tel Aviv University shows that hyperbaric chambers could also be useful for people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who have not responded to psychotherapy or medication.
The work, presented in the journal The Journal of Clinical Psychiatryshows that people suffering from PTSD treated by this method see their condition improve.
Post-traumatic stress: 60 sessions in a hyperbaric chamber
Around 20% of people who have experienced a very traumatic event (accidents, physical or sexual assault, natural disaster, hostage taking, military combat, etc.) develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These can have serious repercussions on quality of life, family life and professional performance.
“Previous studies of therapy-resistant patients have revealed changes in the structure and function of brain tissue, or a ‘biological injury’ that accounts for this treatment resistance.”explains Dr Keren Doenyas-Barak who co-led the study. Faced with this observation, researchers wondered if hyperbaric oxygen therapy could relieve patients, and developed a protocol.
“Each patient receives a series of 60 two-hour sessions in our hyperbaric chamber, during which they are exposed to 100% pure oxygen at a pressure of 2 atmospheres (twice the normal atmospheric pressure at sea level). Our protocol provides for alternate breathing of oxygen and normal air: every 20 minutes, the patient removes the oxygen mask and breathes normal air for five minutes. The drop in oxygen level at the tissue level. , activates healing processes and thus enhances the therapeutic effect”indicates the scientist in a press release from her establishment.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is effective for PTSD
In tests conducted from 2019 to summer 2023, researchers followed 98 patients suffering from PTSD. Half followed the hyperbaric oxygen therapy protocol developed by the team by breathing high-pressure oxygen, the other half followed the protocol, but had normal air in the chamber. Analyzes showed that the group that received hyperbaric therapy showed better connectivity in brain networks, as well as a decrease in all typical symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. There were no changes observed either in the brain or in the clinical signs of the pathology in the “placebo” group.
“Our study demonstrated that hyperbaric oxygen therapy induces biological healing in the brains of people with PTSD. Healing the biological injury also impacts clinical symptoms. We believe that hyperbaric oxygen therapy, based on the protocol special we have developed, can provide relief to many people suffering from post-traumatic stress around the world, allowing them to return to normal lives in their communities and families.”explains Professor Shai Efrati, co-director of the research.
He also warns: “Patients suffering from PTSD should only undergo hyperbaric oxygen therapy in professional hyperbaric centers, where treatment is administered by multidisciplinary teams experienced in care. Private, unsupervised hyperbaric chambers are not able to provide a proven protocol and Additionally, patients should receive a thorough professional assessment to ensure they are suitable for hyperbaric oxygen therapy and to determine what additional support is needed throughout their treatment journey.”
